Phoenix Mustangs
Encyclopedia
The Phoenix Mustangs were a professional minor league
ice hockey
team in the West Coast Hockey League
. The Mustangs played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
on the grounds of the Arizona State Fair, from the 1997-1998 season through the 2000-2001 season. The Mustangs came into existence after the demise of the International Hockey League's Phoenix Roadrunners
who lost funding from a local Indian community and ceased operations after the 1996-1997 season. Their arrival rekindled a decades long rivalry between Phoenix and San Diego based teams in several minor leagues.
The Mustangs were quite successful on the ice their first three seasons, including winning the WCHL
's Taylor Cup Championship in 2000 with a four game sweep of the Tacoma Sabercats
, with an exciting sudden-death overtime victory at the Coliseum in game four. The Mustangs were not so blessed the following season, finishing last in their final season in 2001. The Mustangs were unable to secure a new lease with the Coliseum for the 2001–2002 season and were forced to cease operations.
30 David Goverde
6'1" 200 4/9/70 Toronto, Ont.
39 Patrick Couture
5'11" 180 5/28/78 Quebec City, Que.
35 Eddy Skazyk 5'11" 170 9/4/74 Lockport, Man.
Christof Grunthal 6'0" 175 10/10/71 Germany
35 Eric Patry 6'3" 185 3/5/77 Gatineau, Que.
35 Gene Bono 6'2" 196 10/15/74 Sandwich, Mass.
Gert Prohaska 6'2" 200 3/21/76 Klagenfurt, Austria
33 Rick Knickle
33 Mike Thomas
30 Mike Buzak
28 E.J. Bradley
Rob Hinks
Denis Chalifoux
Francois Sasseville
10 Len Hachborn
5'10" 180 9/9/61 Brantford, Ont.
19 Claude Morin 5'10" 172 9/29/71 Ste. Foy, Que.
19 C. J. Yoder 6'2" 190 7/17/75 Hershey, Penn.
52 Doug McCarthy 5'10" 180 11/4/62 Edmonton, Alb.
Jim McGroarty 5'8" 180 4/24/72 Toronto, Ont.
Joe Wassilyn 5'11" 203 1/20/74 Toronto, Ont.
16 Kevin St. Jacques 5'11 190 2/25/71 Edmonton,Alb
15/16 Michel Couvrette 5'10 193 11/11/65 Verdun, France
16/17 Ralph Barahona
5'10" 185 11/16/65 Lakewood, Cal.
Steve Caley 5'9" 175 8/13/78 Toronto, Ont.
26 Savo Mitrovic
5'11" 200 2/4/69 Etobicoke, Ont.
6 Warren Sachs 5'8" 180 2/18/77 Saskatoon, Sask.
19 Jeff Shevalier
Eric Bellerose
Darren Banks
Ben Gustavson
15 John Kosobud 6'0" 205 8/26/72 Fargo, No. Dak.
20 Lorne Toews 6'0" 200 6/17/73 Winnipeg, Man.
26 Eric Perricone 5'11" 186 11/21/78 St. Jean, Que.
33 Carlin Nordstrom 6-2" 213 2/20/73 Saskatoon, Sask.
Dean Campanale 5'11" 185 11/22/74 Quincy, Mass.
23 Dave Lylyk 6'2" 190 12/22/75 Whitby, Ont.
11 Hugo Belanger
6'0" 190 5/28/70 St. Hubert, Que.
3 Jessy Grenier 6'2" 215 7/21/76 Chandler, Que.
17 Juri Holik 6'1" 185 9/14/76 Jihlava, Czech Rep.
19 Michel Massie 6'0" 192 7/2/77 Montréal, Que.
20 Matt Oliver 6'1" 210 3/16/74 Euclid, Oh.
Mario Roberge
5'11" 185 1/23/64 Quebec City, Que.
16 Mark Spence 6'1" 190 4/21/75 Montreal, Que.
32 Mario Therrien 6'3" 225 5/18/72 Ste. Anne des Plaines, Que.
23 Rusty Saglo 6'1" 190 5/8/78 Kiev, Ukraine
18 Tony Iob 5'11" 202 1/2/71 Renfrow, Ont.
27 Thierry Ryckman 6'0" 190 4/21/75 Rimouski, Que.
23 Jeremy Yablonski
6'0" 210 3/21/80 Meadow Lake, Sask.
28 Dennis Ivanov 6'4" 208 4/21/78 Elektrostal, Russia
16/2/34 Daniel Shank
20 Kevin Kerr
55 Kevin Brown
11 Ken Shipman 6'0" 200 10/2/70 Burnaby, B.C.
Janis Tomans
Frank Defrenza
17 Craig Martin
Jason Rushton
Eric Silverman
18 Bobby McKillop 5'11" 185 3/19/70 Kitchener, Ont.
10 Clint Collins 6'0" 192 8/2/74 Vancouver, B.C.
25 Martin Lacroix 5'11" 180 1/4/70 Montreal, Que.
12 David Haynes
6'1" 210 8/20/75 Kitchener, Ont.
17 Serge Roberge
6'1" 202 3/31/65 Quebec City, Que.
Darcy Anderson
6'0" 195 7/25/74 North Bay, Ont.
Daniel Larin 5'11" 205 11/20/67 Laval, Que.
Eric Tuott 5'7" 175 7/22/75 Anchorage, Alaska
91 Jamie Allan 6'0" 185 3/18/70 Kingston, Ont.
8 John Badduke 6'3" 225 6/21/72 Watson, Sask.
Jason Gudmundson 5'9" 170 4/9/74 Arborg, Man.
Jason Melong 5'9" 184 4/24/71 Kirkland Lake, Ont.
23 Iannique Renaud 6'3" 215 9/19/75 Winnipeg, Man.
26 Peter Rozic 6'0" 202 2/17/74 Jesenice, Slovenia
10 Rusty McKie 6'1" 190 10/5/74 Toledo, Ohio
17 Richard Peacock 5'10" 220 3/26/78 Enderby, B.C.
2 Jean-Francois Picard 5'11" 190 4/4/79 Montreal, Que.
7 Steve Woodburn 6'0" 195 10/24/63 Montreal, Que.
16 Tobias Ablad 5'11" 207 4/2/71 Stockholm, Sweden
22 Curtis Menzul 6'3" 215 4/6/76 Winnipeg, Man.
24 Arturs Kupaks 6'0" 190 7/14/73 Riga, Latvia
22/32 Corey Laniuk 6'2" 220 1/30/77 Vancouver, B.C.
7 Mike DeAngelis
33 Steve Sabo
Jason Johnson
Patrick Lundback
22 Kevin Epp 6'0" 189 8/27/74 Cranbrook, B.C.
Ryan Schmidt
10 Robert Fail
28 Kristoffer Eriksson 5'11" 204 6/4/75 Vaxholm, Sweden
Ryan Poulton
Jonas Bergdal
Brian LaChance
David Bilik
Miroslav Dvorak
Derrick Gosselin
Sam Fields
Simon Poirer
12 Alexandre Alepin 5'11" 205 9/18/75 Montreal, Que.
7 Bob Rapoza 6'2" 220 6/29/74 Fall River, Mass.
6 Darryl Olsen
6'0" 225 10/7/66 Calgary, Alb.
9 Sean Whyte 6'1" 220 5/4/80 Sudbury, Ont.
24 Dave Doucet 5'10" 200 5/29/73 Kimberley, B.C.
5 Darren Meek 5'10" 190 9/25/71 Williams Lake, B.C.
Daniel Schwarz
6'2" 202 2/27/78 Augsburg, Germany
5 Darren Veitch
6'0" 200 4/24/60 Saskatoon, Sask.
10 Jon Dunmar 6'1" 220 4/24/73 Westport, Conn.
8 Jason Rose 6'0" 180 1/12/75 Martensville, Sask.
22 Kevin Epp 6'0" 189 8/27/74 Cranbrook, B.C.
Kevin Mackie 6'2" 200 2/9/82 Victoria, B.C.
Rick Macdonald 5'11" 200 1/24/76 Evergreen Park, Ill.
Rob Palin 5'9" 190 11/19/66 Chisholm, Minn.
55 Steve Herniman 6'4" 215 6/9/68 Windsor, Ont.
Tim Lozinik 6'1" 200 1/28/77 St. Albert, Alb.
21 Tom Menicci 5'10" 190 7/23/71 Smithtown, N.Y.
Zbynek Neckar 6'2" 210 9/22/78 Pisek, Czech Rep.
44 Ken Ruddick
55 Johnathan Shockey
4 Jason MacIntyre
2 Mark Costea
55 Jacque Rodrigue
77 Mike Tobin
7 Don Lester
3 Dave Piirto
32 Steve Adams
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the West Coast Hockey League
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
. The Mustangs played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
The Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, located on the grounds of the Arizona State Fair...
on the grounds of the Arizona State Fair, from the 1997-1998 season through the 2000-2001 season. The Mustangs came into existence after the demise of the International Hockey League's Phoenix Roadrunners
Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL)
The Phoenix Roadrunners were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. The team was housed at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The team played in the IHL from 1989 to 1997. The IHL Roadrunners were named for a World Hockey Association team of the same name...
who lost funding from a local Indian community and ceased operations after the 1996-1997 season. Their arrival rekindled a decades long rivalry between Phoenix and San Diego based teams in several minor leagues.
The Mustangs were quite successful on the ice their first three seasons, including winning the WCHL
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
's Taylor Cup Championship in 2000 with a four game sweep of the Tacoma Sabercats
Tacoma Sabercats
The Tacoma Sabercats were an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Tacoma, Washington. The team began play in the West Coast Hockey League as of the 1997-98 season....
, with an exciting sudden-death overtime victory at the Coliseum in game four. The Mustangs were not so blessed the following season, finishing last in their final season in 2001. The Mustangs were unable to secure a new lease with the Coliseum for the 2001–2002 season and were forced to cease operations.
Goaltenders
# Name HT WT DOB Hometown30 David Goverde
David Goverde
David Goverde is a professional hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League.Currently resides in Orlando, Florida and manages "Just Hockey" .-External links:...
6'1" 200 4/9/70 Toronto, Ont.
39 Patrick Couture
Patrick Couture
Patrick Couture is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.Prior to turning professional, Couture played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
5'11" 180 5/28/78 Quebec City, Que.
35 Eddy Skazyk 5'11" 170 9/4/74 Lockport, Man.
Christof Grunthal 6'0" 175 10/10/71 Germany
35 Eric Patry 6'3" 185 3/5/77 Gatineau, Que.
35 Gene Bono 6'2" 196 10/15/74 Sandwich, Mass.
Gert Prohaska 6'2" 200 3/21/76 Klagenfurt, Austria
33 Rick Knickle
Rick Knickle
Rick Knickle is a former ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the sixth round, 116th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft...
33 Mike Thomas
30 Mike Buzak
Mike Buzak
Mike Buzak is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the seventh round, 167th overall, of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the St...
Center
# Name HT WT DOB Hometown28 E.J. Bradley
Rob Hinks
Denis Chalifoux
Francois Sasseville
François Sasseville
-Career statistics:- References :...
10 Len Hachborn
Len Hachborn
Leonard Hachborn is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. Len grew up playing hockey with his childhood friend Wayne Gretzkey...
5'10" 180 9/9/61 Brantford, Ont.
19 Claude Morin 5'10" 172 9/29/71 Ste. Foy, Que.
19 C. J. Yoder 6'2" 190 7/17/75 Hershey, Penn.
52 Doug McCarthy 5'10" 180 11/4/62 Edmonton, Alb.
Jim McGroarty 5'8" 180 4/24/72 Toronto, Ont.
Joe Wassilyn 5'11" 203 1/20/74 Toronto, Ont.
16 Kevin St. Jacques 5'11 190 2/25/71 Edmonton,Alb
15/16 Michel Couvrette 5'10 193 11/11/65 Verdun, France
16/17 Ralph Barahona
Ralph Barahona
Ralph J. Barahona is a retired American professional ice hockey center who played six games in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins. He scored two goals and two assists for four points in his brief NHL career.-External links:...
5'10" 185 11/16/65 Lakewood, Cal.
Steve Caley 5'9" 175 8/13/78 Toronto, Ont.
26 Savo Mitrovic
Savo Mitrovic
Savo Mitrovic is a retired Serbian professional ice hockey player.He played for the Greensboro Monarchs and Huntsville Blast in the ECHL, the Phoenix Mustangs of the West Coast Hockey League, the Detroit Falcons and Port Huron Border Cats of the Colonial Hockey League, and the Odessa Jackalopes of...
5'11" 200 2/4/69 Etobicoke, Ont.
6 Warren Sachs 5'8" 180 2/18/77 Saskatoon, Sask.
Left wing
# Name HT WT DOB Hometown19 Jeff Shevalier
Jeff Shevalier
Jeffrey Shevalier is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was drafted in the fifth round, 111th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. He played 32 games in the National Hockey League: 27 with the Kings and five with the Tampa Bay Lightning...
Eric Bellerose
Darren Banks
Darren Banks
Darren Alexander Banks is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played in 20 NHL games with the Boston Bruins.-Career statistics:-External links:...
Ben Gustavson
15 John Kosobud 6'0" 205 8/26/72 Fargo, No. Dak.
20 Lorne Toews 6'0" 200 6/17/73 Winnipeg, Man.
26 Eric Perricone 5'11" 186 11/21/78 St. Jean, Que.
33 Carlin Nordstrom 6-2" 213 2/20/73 Saskatoon, Sask.
Dean Campanale 5'11" 185 11/22/74 Quincy, Mass.
23 Dave Lylyk 6'2" 190 12/22/75 Whitby, Ont.
11 Hugo Belanger
Hugo Belanger
Hugo P. Belanger is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left wing. Belanger was selected in the 8th round in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks and went on to play 15 seasons in hockey’s minor leagues....
6'0" 190 5/28/70 St. Hubert, Que.
3 Jessy Grenier 6'2" 215 7/21/76 Chandler, Que.
17 Juri Holik 6'1" 185 9/14/76 Jihlava, Czech Rep.
19 Michel Massie 6'0" 192 7/2/77 Montréal, Que.
20 Matt Oliver 6'1" 210 3/16/74 Euclid, Oh.
Mario Roberge
Mario Roberge
Mario Roberge is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Roberge started his National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1991. He would play his entire career with Montreal and leave after the 1995 season. He would win one Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993...
5'11" 185 1/23/64 Quebec City, Que.
16 Mark Spence 6'1" 190 4/21/75 Montreal, Que.
32 Mario Therrien 6'3" 225 5/18/72 Ste. Anne des Plaines, Que.
23 Rusty Saglo 6'1" 190 5/8/78 Kiev, Ukraine
18 Tony Iob 5'11" 202 1/2/71 Renfrow, Ont.
27 Thierry Ryckman 6'0" 190 4/21/75 Rimouski, Que.
Right wing
# Name HT WT DOB Hometown23 Jeremy Yablonski
Jeremy Yablonski
Jeremy Yablonski is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League. Primarily a hockey enforcer, Yablonski is a six-time Golden Gloves boxing champion from Canada....
6'0" 210 3/21/80 Meadow Lake, Sask.
28 Dennis Ivanov 6'4" 208 4/21/78 Elektrostal, Russia
16/2/34 Daniel Shank
Daniel Shank
Daniel Shank is a retired National Hockey League right wing.After playing four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Shank made his professional debut with the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League in the 1988–89 season...
20 Kevin Kerr
Kevin Kerr (ice hockey)
Kevin Kerr is a retired professional hockey player and former head coach of the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League. Kerr was drafted in Round 3, 56th overall of the 1986 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.-External links:...
55 Kevin Brown
Kevin Brown (ice hockey)
Kevin J. Brown is a former professional ice hockey right winger.Born in Birmingham, England, Brown was raised in Ontario, and had a successful junior career with the Belleville Bulls and Detroit Junior Red Wings of the OHL, he also played for the Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the AJHL...
11 Ken Shipman 6'0" 200 10/2/70 Burnaby, B.C.
Janis Tomans
Frank Defrenza
17 Craig Martin
Craig Martin (ice hockey)
Craig Martin is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played two seasons in the National Hockey League for the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets....
Jason Rushton
Eric Silverman
18 Bobby McKillop 5'11" 185 3/19/70 Kitchener, Ont.
10 Clint Collins 6'0" 192 8/2/74 Vancouver, B.C.
25 Martin Lacroix 5'11" 180 1/4/70 Montreal, Que.
12 David Haynes
David Haynes
David Haynes is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the West Coast Eagles and Geelong in the Australian Football League ....
6'1" 210 8/20/75 Kitchener, Ont.
17 Serge Roberge
Serge Roberge
Serge Roberge was a professional ice hockey player who played nine games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Quebec Nordiques.- References :...
6'1" 202 3/31/65 Quebec City, Que.
Darcy Anderson
Darcy Anderson
Darcy Anderson is a Canadian professional inline hockey player, currently playing for the South Carolina Pirates in the PIHA. Anderson has played most of his career in ice hockey however.-Career:...
6'0" 195 7/25/74 North Bay, Ont.
Daniel Larin 5'11" 205 11/20/67 Laval, Que.
Eric Tuott 5'7" 175 7/22/75 Anchorage, Alaska
91 Jamie Allan 6'0" 185 3/18/70 Kingston, Ont.
8 John Badduke 6'3" 225 6/21/72 Watson, Sask.
Jason Gudmundson 5'9" 170 4/9/74 Arborg, Man.
Jason Melong 5'9" 184 4/24/71 Kirkland Lake, Ont.
23 Iannique Renaud 6'3" 215 9/19/75 Winnipeg, Man.
26 Peter Rozic 6'0" 202 2/17/74 Jesenice, Slovenia
10 Rusty McKie 6'1" 190 10/5/74 Toledo, Ohio
17 Richard Peacock 5'10" 220 3/26/78 Enderby, B.C.
Defense
# Name HT WT DOB Hometown2 Jean-Francois Picard 5'11" 190 4/4/79 Montreal, Que.
7 Steve Woodburn 6'0" 195 10/24/63 Montreal, Que.
16 Tobias Ablad 5'11" 207 4/2/71 Stockholm, Sweden
22 Curtis Menzul 6'3" 215 4/6/76 Winnipeg, Man.
24 Arturs Kupaks 6'0" 190 7/14/73 Riga, Latvia
22/32 Corey Laniuk 6'2" 220 1/30/77 Vancouver, B.C.
7 Mike DeAngelis
33 Steve Sabo
Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson
Jason Michael Johnson is starting pitcher for the Camden Riversharksin the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He throws and bats right-handed.-Career:...
Patrick Lundback
22 Kevin Epp 6'0" 189 8/27/74 Cranbrook, B.C.
Ryan Schmidt
10 Robert Fail
28 Kristoffer Eriksson 5'11" 204 6/4/75 Vaxholm, Sweden
Ryan Poulton
Jonas Bergdal
Brian LaChance
David Bilik
Miroslav Dvorak
Derrick Gosselin
Derrick Gosselin
Derrick Philippe Boduin Gosselin is a Flemish - Belgian engineer and economist. Currently Head of Cabinet of the Minister President of the Flemish Government. He is a specialist in energy and in international strategy and marketing....
Sam Fields
Simon Poirer
12 Alexandre Alepin 5'11" 205 9/18/75 Montreal, Que.
7 Bob Rapoza 6'2" 220 6/29/74 Fall River, Mass.
6 Darryl Olsen
Darryl Olsen
Darryl M. Olsen is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in one National Hockey League game for the Calgary Flames during the 1991–92 NHL season....
6'0" 225 10/7/66 Calgary, Alb.
9 Sean Whyte 6'1" 220 5/4/80 Sudbury, Ont.
24 Dave Doucet 5'10" 200 5/29/73 Kimberley, B.C.
5 Darren Meek 5'10" 190 9/25/71 Williams Lake, B.C.
Daniel Schwarz
Daniel Schwarz
Daniel R. Schwarz is Frederick J. Whiton Professor of English Literature and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow at Cornell University in the USA where he has taught since 1968. He is the author of fifteen significant books and numerous article, many of which have appeared in prestigious...
6'2" 202 2/27/78 Augsburg, Germany
5 Darren Veitch
Darren Veitch
Darren William Veitch is a retired former professional ice hockey player whose career was beset by injuries. He won a Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Regina Pats in 1980 to cap off a stellar junior career...
6'0" 200 4/24/60 Saskatoon, Sask.
10 Jon Dunmar 6'1" 220 4/24/73 Westport, Conn.
8 Jason Rose 6'0" 180 1/12/75 Martensville, Sask.
22 Kevin Epp 6'0" 189 8/27/74 Cranbrook, B.C.
Kevin Mackie 6'2" 200 2/9/82 Victoria, B.C.
Rick Macdonald 5'11" 200 1/24/76 Evergreen Park, Ill.
Rob Palin 5'9" 190 11/19/66 Chisholm, Minn.
55 Steve Herniman 6'4" 215 6/9/68 Windsor, Ont.
Tim Lozinik 6'1" 200 1/28/77 St. Albert, Alb.
21 Tom Menicci 5'10" 190 7/23/71 Smithtown, N.Y.
Zbynek Neckar 6'2" 210 9/22/78 Pisek, Czech Rep.
44 Ken Ruddick
55 Johnathan Shockey
4 Jason MacIntyre
Jason MacIntyre
Jason MacIntyre was a Scottish racing cyclist. He was a triple British and Scottish champion time trial cyclist and broke Graeme Obree's time trial Scottish record in 2007...
2 Mark Costea
55 Jacque Rodrigue
77 Mike Tobin
7 Don Lester
3 Dave Piirto
32 Steve Adams
External links
- Phoenix Mustangs Mustangs historical site
- game photos by Jennifer Rosevear